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Job summary

Main area
Mental Health
Grade
Band 4
Contract
9 months (Fixed Term Contract until August 2026)
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
364-A-9455
Employer
Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Basildon Community Resources Centre
Town
Basildon
Salary
£27,485 - £30,162 per annum + 5% High Cost Allowance
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
18/10/2025 09:00

Employer heading

Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust logo

Assistant Psychologist

Band 4

Our Trust cares for more than 100,000 patients at any one time across our community health, mental health and learning disability services across Essex and parts of Bedfordshire and Suffolk. 

We want you to be part of our journey of transformation, where our patients and their families are at the heart of everything we do and to achieve our vision to be the leading health and wellbeing service in the provision of mental health and community care.

You’ll be part of a Trust where you will be supported to be your authentic self and be the best you can be, where we will help you to grow, develop and thrive. 

The Trust is recognised by the University of Essex and is a top provider of apprenticeships for people looking to be an assistant practitioner, senior health care support worker (CAP). Our trailblazing CAP apprenticeship won a national HSJ Award.

We are also recognised as a Veteran Aware Trust and holder of gold accreditation from the Ministry of Defence Employment Recognition Scheme. Our services are highlighted as an exemplar of good practice, producing the best care for more than 3.500 armed forces veterans in the past seven years. 

We have been shortlisted and won national awards. We are an inclusive organisation and Level 3 Disability Confident Leader Trust.

We are constantly innovating and looking for new ways to deliver care, such as using technology to enhance patient care and working with partners to launch new services such as the Basildon Mental Health Urgent Care Department, virtual hospitals and falls response cars.  

Join us and you’ll do the best work of your life – and make a difference to other people’s lives. What we do together, matters.

Job overview

We are looking for an enthusiastic and highly motivated psychology graduate to work in the Adult Community Psychology Service across South West Essex. This is an exciting post which provides an excellent opportunity to be part of a dynamic and dedicated team. Services across EPUT greatly value psychology and are committed to embracing a multi-disciplinary approach. 

The Adult Community Psychology service provides a Tier 2 service to the South Essex locality. Services have recently undergone a restructuring process to enhance the capacity to deliver psychological therapies and to utilise psychological skills within MDTs. Services have undergone influential restructuring processes to enhance the capacity to deliver psychological therapies and to utilise psychological skills within MDTs. The established Clinical Director of Psychological Services works closely with the senior management team to develop and improve delivery of psychological therapies, and to enable psychologists to develop and implement their leadership skills. This provides an environment for Psychology staff to develop their skills through high quality supervision and a supported CPD programme. 

Main duties of the job

The Assistant Psychologist will work alongside qualified psychologists providing an Adult Community Psychology Service to the First Response Teams (FRT) and Recovery and Wellbeing Teams (RWT). The FRT delivers care and interventions to clients newly referred to secondary care mental health services for a period of 6 months. The RWT delivers care plans aligned to recovery focused outcomes to clients with longer term needs. 

The post-holder is expect to support qualified psychological therapists in the preparation and co-facilitation of group therapy programmes and the delivery of specific components of clinical treatment under close supervision. There will be a key responsibility to support the service undertake audit and research projects. There will be significant opportunity to gain experience of working in a multidisciplinary team, including liaison with allied professionals. The role will include attending referrals meetings, participating in departmental forums and opportunities to shadow other team members. Your work will be closely supervised by an experienced psychological therapist and you will therefore also gain extensive experience of the supervisory process.

This is an excellent opportunity for a psychology graduate aiming to undertake doctoral postgraduate training in clinical or counselling psychology in the future, and the service has an excellent track record of assistant psychologists securing a place on Clinical Psychology courses. 

Working for our organisation

Valuing you. Recognising your dedication. At EPUT, we look after you. 

  • Receive supervision and support to help you fulfil your potential.
  • Join an inclusive EPUT community and connect with others through engagement events and equality or champion networks.
  • If you need help, we provide mental health and wellbeing services, occupational health advice and counselling.
  • We run recognition awards to recognise staff's hard work and dedication.

Benefits

  • 27 days holiday, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days after 10 years’ service.
  • Excellent pension of up to14.5% of your pensionable pay.
  • Staff discounts include Blue Light Card, NHS discount offers, and staff benefits.
  • £8K relocation package if you move to Essex to join us
  • Season ticket loans are interest-free to cover the cost of travelling to and from work via tram, rail, or bus.

Work that wraps around your needs

  • Flexible working: available from day one for most roles.
  • Job share: Applications for job shares are welcomed.

 

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The Psychological Services Directorate is committed to investing in you as an individual and in your career development. EPUT highly respects and values psychological thinking and we welcome you to join our team.

Please see the detailed job description and service specification attached to this advert. 

For an informal discussion or to arrange an informal visit, please contact Dr Adebayo Idowu, Principal Practitioner Psychologist on 07890895891 or by email on [email protected]

Person specification

Education/Qualification

Essential criteria
  • An upper second class honours degree or higher in a BPS recognised psychology degree course
  • Entitlement to graduate Membership of the British Psychological Society

Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • High level communication skills (written and verbal)
  • Knowledge of research and statistical methods and ability to do data analysis
  • High standard of report writing

Skills/Experience

Essential criteria
  • Experience of working in teams and of interacting effectively with staff from all disciplines
  • Experience of interacting with people with mental health problems, disabilities/ personality difficulties
  • Experience of undertaking risk reviews with people with mental health vulnerabilities, under supervision
Desirable criteria
  • Experience of assisting in the provision of care to service users in care settings

Personal Qualities

Essential criteria
  • Ability to work independently, reliably and consistently
  • Ability to work as part of a team.
  • Resilience in stressful situations and environments
  • Shares the Trust’s values: care, learn, empower
Desirable criteria
  • Well presented in clothing appropriate with Trust policy
  • Ability to travel across sites and across Trust boundaries to attend meetings, etc

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Apprenticeships logoNo smoking policyMenopause Friendly EmployerPositive about disabled peopleAge positiveDisability confident leaderImproving working livesArmed Forces Covenant Gold AwardMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Essex Family Friendly Employers

Applicant requirements

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Dr Adebayo Idowu
Job title
Principal Practitioner Psychologist
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
07890895891
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